AFL captain Luke Shuey is set to lace up the boots for the first time in almost three months, as he prepares to take on Subiaco for the WAFL Eagles this weekend.
This will be the prolific ball winner’s first match back after reinjuring his hamstring during his comeback game against Port Adelaide in round three, and first state league appearance since 2010.
Shuey looks set to strengthen the WAFL midfield, which could include Jarrod Brander, Brandon Ah Chee, Nathan Vardy, and Jack Petruccelle, dependant on injury list and rehab situations.
And despite training with the Norm Smith medallist almost every day of the week, this will be many of the AFL-listed players’ first opportunity to line-up with the likes of Shuey, including first-year midfielder Zane Trew and ruckman Callum Jamieson.
“The men’s skipper, he’ll come back and be answering to me on the weekend,” Brayshaw laughed.
“But nah, it’s good to have him back, he’s obviously a class above the rest of the WAFL competition, so however many minutes we have of him will be invaluable.
“He’s the captain of the footy club. Not often you get to play with a guy of that calibre.
“And obviously Luke’s really, really good at getting around the WAFL guys, comes and introduces himself and gets around them.
“But to actually play with a guy like that, we’ll learn a lot on ground, but you grow an extra leg when you’re out there, because you have a real star player next to you.”
Shuey will headline the onball brigade for the Eagles’ squad, alongside pacey midfielder Connor West.
West recently joined the West Coast outfit as pick 23 in the midseason draft, alongside agile defender and pick 11, Will Collins.
West donned blue and gold for the first time against Claremont in round nine, and was the club’s best afield with 29 disposals, six marks, seven tackles, eight inside 50s and a goal.
“Connor West and Will Collins in the midseason draft are massive for us, we’ve got two extra guys that are capable footballers coming in to play footy, just talking about Connor, he’s an incredible player,” Brayshaw said.
“He’s played one game with us, had two sessions with us and came out and played the way that he did, he’s a class act.
“He’s been playing like that at West Perth for a long time, and adds a class in our midfield that we desperately need, and he’s a very, very good addition to our team.
“Hopefully if he continues the way he’s going, he’ll put his hand up for an AFL selection very soon.
“He’s a very, very good player and does that at any level that he’s at, so it’s good to see him do it with us.”
The Eagles’ WAFL team, along with captain Hamish Brayshaw, are now hoping to bring an even more competitive side in this weekend’s clash with second-placed Subiaco.
“Slowly and surely improving, which is good,” Brayshaw said.
“We’ve got uncertainty in the team and the way it goes, we’ve got chop and change with guys coming in and out of AFL, and with injuries and the like.
“We should have double-digits AFL-listed players, which is where we’ll be competitive, when we get that number in.
“We are getting there, when we lost to Claremont on the weekend just passed we had a four-quarter performance, which is the first time we have all year.
“It’s the closest we’ve come outside of the first game against Perth Demons, but just in terms of a four-quarter performances, that was definitely the best of the year.”
